Intrenching-tool



No. 623,752. Patented Apr. 25, |399.

L. H. WIGHTMAN.

INTRENCHING TOOL.

(Application led Dec. 3, 1898.) (No Model.)

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LUTHER II. WIGHTMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTRENCHING-TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,752, dated Apr125, 1899.

Application filed December 3,1898. Serial No. 698,195. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, LUTHER H. WIGHTMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of h/Iassachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Intrenching-Tool, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for use in forming trenches for army fortications.

Various tools havebeen designed fordigging trenches, but they have not proved a success because in some instances the tool was of too much weight to be conveniently carried bya soldier, and in other instances the tool-a spade-lmyonet-was too small to carry or handle sufficient quantities of earth.

It is the object of my invention to provide a tool that shall be strong and durable, yet of comparatively light weight, so that it may be carried in a case suspended from a belt, thereby being at all times in the possession of the soldier.

It is a further object to provide the tool with a comparatively large lifting or dirtholding surface, and, further, to provide the tool with a sharp cutting edge for cutting down brush, small trees, and the like.

I will describe an intrenching-tool embody- 'ing my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a front elevation of anintrenching-tool embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 in Fig. l, drawn on a larger scale than in said Fig. l to clearly show the crosssectional shape of the tool-body; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. l.

The tool comprises a body portion l, which is extended to a point and has an integral tang 2 extended from it. At the sides of the tang 2 the body portion is extended out in straight lines on the upper edge, as indicated at 3, so-that a person may place his foot on these portions, if desired, in forcing the tool into the ground.

The tang 2 extends into a handle 4 and is secured by means of rivets or otherwise.

This handle 4 is tubular, and it has at its rear side a portion 5, extended down onto the body of the tool and riveted thereto. Therefore this handle, will form a reinforce at the tang portion or weakest point of the tool. There are three objects in making the handle 4tubular-first, for the sake of lightness; second, to adapt it to receive the end of a stick to form a long handle, and, third, to form a scabbard for a bayonet, thus making it unnecessary to carry the usual scabbard. The end of the handle 4 has an outwardly-extended flange G, which will prevent the device from slippingfrom apersons hand While using the tool for chopping or otherwise. The central portion of the body is curved in cross-section, as plainly indicated in Fig. 5. The opposite edges, however, are carried out in substantially horizontal planes, as at '7 8, and these portions 7 8 are in direct line with the center of the handle 4. One' of the side portions, here shown as the side portion 7, is sharpened, as at 9, thus providing a hatchet or cutting device for cutting down brush, small trees, or the like.

The object in making the cutting edge es.- pecially in a direct line with the casing of the handle 4 is to facilitate the handling of the tool While cutting wood, as, obviously, were such cutting edge arranged laterally or forward or rearward of the handle the tool would have a tendency to turn in the hand While chopping.l

This tool is completein itself; but if a long handle is desired such handle may be easily formed from any stick of wood that may be found in the eld-sucl1,forinstance,as a limb of a tree or even a small tree.

This instrument complete has a Weight of about one and Ve-eighths pounds, and it has a dirt holding or lifting surface of about thirty-four square inches. Therefore it is well adapted for carrying earth, and as it is pointed it may be easily forced into sod or hard earth.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. An intrenching-tool, having a pointed body provided with a tang at one end, the said body portion being transversely curved at its central portion and havingits sides eX-' IOO tended out in substantiall7 horizontal planes, the edge of one of said sides being sharpened, and a hollow handle riveted to the tang and alsohaving a portion extended upon the bod y portion of the tool and riveted thereto, substantially as specified.

2. An intrenehing-tool, comprising a pointed body portion and having an integral tang extended from its upper end, and a tubular handle riveted to said tang and having a portion extended upon thebody portion and riveted thereto, the said body portion of the tool being transversely eurved at its central portion and then having its side portions extended outward in substantially horizontal planes and in line with the longitudinal een- 1er of the handle, an edge of one of said side portions being sharpened, substantially as specified.

An intrenehing-tool, comprising a body pointed at one end and having a tang extended from the other end, a tubular handle into which said tang extends, a flange on the outer end of the handle, a portion of the inner end of the handle extended from the rear side of the handle upon the body portion of the tool and riveted thereto, one of the edges of the body ofthe tool being sharpened and arranged in line with the longitudinal center of the tubular handle, substantially as specified.

LUTHER Il. VIGI'ITMAN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. LOMBARD, JNO. F. CUTICK. 

